Side Effects
by Love Goddess Sparkles
Summary: Lavender is convinced to try out Muggle prescription drugs to help with her depression. Everything seems to be going well for a while afterward. She and her boyfriend, Neville, are happily enjoying life again. Then, things take a turn for the worse when the side effects settle in...


**Disclaimer:** As you all know the Harry Potter series does not belong to me not matter how much I wish it did. Blah, blah, blah. You know the drill, lemme 'lone.

**Author's note:** This was written as the second (2nd) entry for the 52 Weeks of Writing 2013 Competition on HPFC forum. It is inspired by the trailer for the upcoming movie, Side Effects. It inspired me so much to write something and it was only just a trailer not the movie. It was a struggle picking what characters to use for this but it came to me after a while. In honor of the movie that helped break my bout with writer's block I named this after it. I really hope you all enjoy the first part of this two-shot.

Happy Reading!

**Compulsory Prompt(s):** Grief, Sleepwalking, Shadow

**Optional Prompt(s):** Depression

**Bonus Prompt:** "You know I'm beginning to think she's a real…"

* * *

**Side Effects**

* * *

"Maybe someone should go home with her?" Hermione suggested while looking across the room from her position nestled into Ron's side. Her tongue swept across her split lip and winced at the sting.

Ginny shift on her feet then walked over to share a seat on a wooden chair with Luna. "That's probably a good idea, we shouldn't leave her alone." she spoke up, looking over to Harry whom sidled up to her side moments after she sat down.

Harry frowned, lost in his ruminations for a few moments more. His eyes were far away, focused on the girl that was the topic of their conversation. Lavender Brown, she sat on the other side of the room being checked over by Madam Pomfrey.

She was staring at the floor blankly, her frame in constant movement from her trembling. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had saved her from Greyback. He shuddered when thinking of the werewolf's large body quite clearly crushing into Lavender's within the shadows of the courtyard. Her face had been a mask of pure horror, fright, and lost hope. Had it not been for the multiple spell fire and lights they gave off the trio might not have made it in time.

Harry's gut clenched at the thought of what that monster had planned to do to her. The marks on her body and tears in her clothing told the tale of what almost could have been. It was a bitter pill to swallow, how close they had been to not making it. How close she was to a fate worse than death before finally leaving their plane.

The wary teen watched as Neville limped over to the battered girl, sitting down on the cot next to her while placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. His lips moved, probably uttering soft words of assurance and safety.

"I think she is in good hands," Harry spoke finally. "I just hope Neville will be able to help her through this."

The group echoed his sentiments with solemn nods.

x-x-x-x

Things weren't going well for her, she couldn't eat, didn't have a lot of energy. When she slept it was for fourteen hours or more. Sometimes she had nightmares but she didn't jerk awake during them instead she stayed sleeping – shifting from one surreal nightmare to the next.

She found herself staying inside a lot but she could pass that off as the autumn weather chasing her off. Neville, he knew, he knew she wasn't alright. She'd managed to get through the 'do-over' school year and graduation. She and Neville announcing their relationship which didn't shock many but the few who hadn't suspected it were gob smacked. Things were going…well. Nothing outrageous happened; it all seemed to happen suddenly for her – this funk. At least that is what she wanted to believe, the others would readily disagree with her and maybe they were right. Just maybe they were right.

"Have you thought about going to see someone?" Hannah had asked abruptly – rudely. "to talk to about your problems and stuff."

Lavender froze – conversations halted and a pin could be heard if dropped in the room. Hannah Abbott had asked her question in the middle of a small dinner party that Ginny and Luna had got together. The former Hufflepuff had been at odds with her ever since she and Neville announced their budding relationship. Jealousy was an ugly thing indeed. Lavender slowly rose her head to look at Neville then over at Hannah. "I – I don't –"

"I'm just asking because I'm so very worried, you seem depressed, sweetie." Hannah interrupted her with an overly and obviously fake voice of concern.

Lavender swallowed thickly, her breath stuttering in her throat and taking hold of her words. It didn't matter because she couldn't find her words anyway. Unshed tears burned her eyes and she felt ashamed so she dropped her head to her lap. Neville grasped the upper part of her arm and pulled her away unhurriedly so not to cause her further humiliation.

Hannah leaned over to a shell-shocked Luna and mock whispered, "You know I'm beginning to think she's a real… nutcase."

Lavender stiffened, anger coursed through her veins. She was not crazy – she wasn't. Her head whipped around and pinned the other girl with a blank stare. The dining table rattled dangerously, things on the table like glasses, plates, and silverware flew over and trembled about. Everyone cried out, backing away from it slowly. She blinked and the table flew to the side with such force and speed that Padma and Ernie dove out of the way to avoid being hit. The table slammed into the wall, a good portion imbedding into it.

Lavender let out a breath she was holding and wavered, Neville's hold on her tightened. Everyone turned to look at her with wide eyes, fear could be found in each and every pair.

x-x-x-x

It was four weeks after the dinner party that she finally saw someone to help her. Lavender didn't want to go; Neville said that it could help her get out of her 'funk', as they like to call it. She hated to think herself depressed or in some sort of depression; she was in denial and knew it.

Accidental magic, that what they called it. Brought on from stress and grief they told her. Grief – they emphasized that one in a roundabout way to blame the war for her episodes. They gave her silver bracelets but all Lavender saw were shackles. They were magic suppressors, to help. If she couldn't do magic – or have violent, magic-related episodes – then Healer Silverstone could focus on helping her with her depression.

Lavender wasn't impressed with her in the slightest, only looking to Neville with a pleading expression. She wanted to go home, now. Her boyfriend only patted her leg with the hand she was clutching in her lap.

"We will be having sessions twice a week," Healer Silverstone told her but looking at both her and Neville, "that is unless you request more for whatever reason."

The brunette resisted the urge to roll her eyes, opting to nod her head instead. "I think two sessions a week is fine at the moment." she replied dully, rolling her shoulders back and suppressing a yawn.

Healer Silverstone nodded, writing something down before getting up from his desk to retrieve something from a file cabinet nearby. "Once we get the first session out of the way I'll have decided what I'll prescribe to you – if you need anything that is." he said, rummaging around in the draw before pulling out a folder. He stumbled over his lime green robes on the way back to his desk, how lovely.

Neville gave a low, long suffering groan. She wondered if he was possibly thinking about his decision on dragging her here.

x-x-x-x

"You want to hand her off to a bunch of Muggles to experiment on her?!" Neville exclaimed in angry surprise.

Healer Silverstone let out an exasperated breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "No," he denied, "she isn't responding to any of the sessions or the treatments I've prescribed." He tried to reason, setting down his quill. "As a Muggleborn Healer I pride myself in mixing both Muggle and Wizard techniques to heal my patients. Perhaps some help through Muggle means will help her."

Neville huffed, pacing the length of the office. He looked every bit of a lion backed into a corner. Lavender watched the whole argument, her head swiveling back and forth between the two when each spoke. Like it would if she were watching a quidditch game, she hadn't said a thing since Silverstone pitched his proposal.

"I'll try it." she said softly, lacking any type of care or feeling. It was just too much an effort to do at this point.

"What?" Neville spun to look at her, shocked she had actually agreed.

"I'm not stupid, contrary to popular disbelief," she said then watched Neville stumble over his words for a moment then continued. "if Healer Silverstone believes this could help then I'll try it. How is this going to work out? What do I have to do?" She directed her questions to her Healer.

"Nothing, I have a colleague that left the Wizarding World to become a Muggle Healer of sorts. She and I have discussed your case, nothing personal I assure you, and she has suggested a drug the Muggles has produced. It's what is called an anti-depressant; Lavender could be susceptible to it." he told the two, his words weighing heavily on their minds.

Lavender looked to her boyfriend then turned back to her Healer and nodded.

x-x-x-x

It was called Celtrix, a little yellow pill shaped like a diamond. When she took it the effect was immediate.

Healer Silverstone sat down in the chair across from the small love seat that Lavender was sitting on. She smiled at him, crossing her legs and smoothing down her light blue sundress. "So Lavender," he began with his own smile – his grey eyes alight with happiness. "Tell me how you've been, feel any different?"

"Merlin, I feel great, I can sleep and eat again." Lavender gushed, bouncing in her seat. "I have more energy, Neville and I had sex…" she confessed shyly but still happy nonetheless.

"Brilliant, just brilliant." Healer Silverstone said softly, his quill scratching away furiously. "Have there been any problems?" he asked her next, his face still turned down – unable to see the frown that passed over his patient's face.

"Well..I do feel rather peculiar sometimes.." she trailed off, not being able to describe it any further.

The Healer tutted then and nodded his head and scribbling something else down. "I'm sure that will pass as you adjust to the drug, do not worry unnecessarily."

The brunette nodded but couldn't shake a sense of foreboding that clouded her mind with Healer Silverstone's words.

"Things are going to get better, things are about to change for you, Lavender, just you wait." Healer Silverstone announced with a kind smile, leaning over and patting her hand.

* * *

_Coming up on Side Effects..._

_"Lavender?" Neville called out, seeing his girlfriend disappear out the bedroom door. He sat up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed and padded out the room. He found Lavender in the living room, "Lav? Baby, are you okay?" he asked worriedly._

_-o0o-_

_"Oh, Merlin..." Harry breathed, clutching the door handle to keep from falling into the mess. He backed out of the room, wand clutched in his hand so tightly the wood creaked. _

_"Harry?" Ginny called out fearfully, hovering about in the doorway of the living room. _

_"Ginny, call Ron." he ordered, not turning to look at his wife._

_The witch shifted on her feet, chewing on her lip. "W-what happened to Lavender and Neville, what's-"_

_"Do what I said, Ginny!" Harry yelled._


End file.
